Gun of Ashes

”The story of the Rat King is the same. To us, he’s just a phoney who dabbles in the supernatural, and there are far too many of such people. We can’t verify each one, so we only pay attention to those who might jeopardize the order.”

Lorenzo nodded, acknowledging that Bola was telling the truth. You wouldn’t care how many bugs are hiding in the house’s shadows, but you’d kill every bug brave enough to show itself in front of you. The Rat King was just such a bug, silently existing for too long until this event dragged him into the vortex.

”Well, looks like I’ll have to rely on myself after all.”

Lorenzo seemed a bit helpless but then continued.

”What’s next?”

”What else is there?” Bola was a bit annoyed. What’s with Lorenzo having so much business?

”I need some weapons. My beloved Winchester has left me, and I need a gun to break those bastards’ legs.”

Lorenzo said viciously, knowing that if he had a firearm then, the chase would have ended differently.

”That little wish, I can still fulfill.”

Bola said as he tossed out the Funeral Bell, ”You’ve had it pointed at your head quite a bit, it’s an old friend to you, isn’t it?”

”Are you serious?”

”Of course I’m joking.”

Bola put the revolver away. He liked this gun too much to waste it by giving it to Lorenzo.

”I’ll notify the Perpetual Motion Pump to pick some new weapons for you. Just wait at home to receive them.”

...

Yage lay on the bed, his face pale. Though he successfully escaped Lorenzo’s grasp, the injuries on his body were a heavy burden.

”Can you be sure, Priest?”

A voice came from the bedside. The old man was asking.

”I’m sure.”

Yage said enduring the pain.

”This is information obtained from the Inferior Rats, confirming that a battle previously occurred in the north, which matches our received information. It’s pretty certain Lawrence has been involved.”

The old man had a composed face. As fugitives, their forces on native Florence soil had been completely rooted out. This was the last intel they received, Lawrence, carrying the Revelation, appeared in the northern region of Ingwig.

But they weren’t clear what happened in the north. Through combining various intel, they were mostly certain Lawrence was suspected to be engaged with the Purification Mechanism.

But then what?

Despite being in Old Dunling, Dunling was to them like an impenetrable fog. He coexisted in a city with that behemoth named Purification Mechanism, while simultaneously guarding against them and searching for the whereabouts of Revelation.

The old man didn’t know if Lawrence was dead or alive, nor how much the Purification Mechanism had learned. If this were a game, they were near the brink of elimination.

With a long sigh, he said, ”Take a good rest.”

The old man said as he left. At least they still had a place within this city to take shelter.

After pushing open door after door, the old man finally reached a room, where the person sponsoring their actions in Old Dunling was waiting for them.

The power of the old man’s faction was already showing signs of decline, but in such a desperate situation, there was still someone willing to sponsor them, allowing them to act within Dunling.

”Just as Yage said, Duke Salicardo, we currently don’t know Lawrence’s whereabouts either.”

The man behind the desk raised his head, unfazed, and replied.

”No problem, as long as there’s progress.”

Duke Salicardo, a man wielding wealth, poised at the pinnacle, an economic magnate. His family prospered during the Radiant War, with industries spanning across all sectors, and factories covering nearly all of Ingwig.

No one would have imagined that among those sponsoring these fugitives was Duke Salicardo, nor how they managed to link up. Shermans initially held great vigilance against him. After all, they had little power left to their name. If captured in Dunling, it would be the best gift offered to Queen Victoria.

Yet all of this was orchestrated by Miguel, leaving Shermans to comply, but at least in recent negotiations, Duke Salicardo had given them sufficient security, maintaining a temporary alliance between the two.

”This is investment. I’m investing in you, placing my chips on you, there will always be losses and wins in this kind of venture, but if we end up the winners and make a profit, it’s all good.”

Salicardo said slowly, gesturing for Shermans to sit.

”Truly, honored by your care.” Shermans spoke cautiously.

”It’s nothing... So, shall we begin?” Salicardo asked.

”Certainly, any time is good, just... just didn’t expect you would be curious about it, as most people shun these things from fear.” Shermans said shaking his head, seeming slightly troubled.

”That’s why I’m not like ’most people.’ I’m part of the few, otherwise, my industry wouldn’t have reached such a scale as today.” Salicardo said with pride, ”One must hold curiosity for new things, even if they are demons that devour people.”

He said recalling that terrifying night, countless monsters attacked his estate, steel armor surviving the slaughter amidst the blazing inferno.

In the chaos, he even saw Duke Phoenix, that madman somehow enduring the monsters’ attacks with his own flesh.

The cleaners distorted Salicardo’s memory in the aftermath, yet strangely, over time Salicardo gradually recalled these events. He initially thought them nightmares, but as his memory refreshed and his contemplation recapped, he realized it all was real.

He didn’t speak of it, having reached his position Salicardo was sharper than anyone imagined, cleaners would erase one’s memory once and would do it a second time.

”Honestly, when I first learned of the existence of ’demons,’ it renewed my whole world.”

Salicardo said with a smile, ”Shermans, you being one of the Evangelical Church’s Cardinals, surely have felt similarly, haven’t you? You thought you reached the top of this society, but one day suddenly discovered, beneath the surface of prosperity lies an even deeper world.”

He had believed he was already at Ingwig’s highest point. Salicardo controlled the economy, could meet the queen at any moment, but on that night realized he was still one of the ordinary, entirely secluded from the supernatural world.

”But generally everyone avoids that deeper world like the plague.” Shermans replied.

”Depends on the person. I am filled with curiosity for demons.” He said eagerly, ”Just like the steam engine, initially it appeared as a war machine, but now it’s an indispensable part of society. Perhaps... perhaps demons can be like that too?”

Shermans fell silent, saying nothing. Throughout these days spent together, Salicardo showed a strong personal bias, he believed neither in gods nor ghosts, being purely a businessman, willing to invest even in terrifying entities like demons.

The old man didn’t know what he exactly wanted, perhaps staying too long in Florence, washed by faith and years, he also became rigid, out of tune with this new era.

”Where were we before?” Shermans asked, part of the collaboration too. This businessman liked stories about demons which allowed him to delve into the unknown world.

”The bit about establishing the church, where those monks brought back forbidden knowledge from the north.” Salicardo responded with some excitement, like hearing a peculiar bedtime story.

Shermans recalled, he was old now, even memories were unreliable.

”Right, they returned from the north, bringing back two books...”